


Guilty By Association

by thegoodthebadandthenerdy



Series: Pynch Drabbles [2]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Lawyer Adam, M/M, he didnt get an ivy league education for this, literally just adam not being able to catch a break until he does
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-12 01:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12948768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegoodthebadandthenerdy/pseuds/thegoodthebadandthenerdy
Summary: Adam was not having a good day.





	Guilty By Association

**Author's Note:**

> I've read so much lawyer!adam stuff that I had to contribute, so here we are.

Adam was not having a good day.

His washing machine had broken at about eleven o'clock last night, which left him with exactly one shirt.

A shirt that, this morning, he'd promptly spilled steaming hot coffee all over.

That was the first three strikes all in one: broken washing machine, coffee spill, and now he was in one of Gansey's ill-fitting shirts.

Adam had never realized how _short_ Gansey was in comparison to him, and how non-broad his shoulders were.

Strikes four, five, and six had been on the way to work. The check engine light on his car popped on while he glided to a halt behind a glaring red light, and had completely stalled by the time it switched to green.

Luckily, he'd been able to get it back to life long enough to move it from the intersection, but that had been all the grace he was allotted for the day, it seemed.

By the time Gansey (and Blue, who peeked out from the backseat where she had a case file spread across the seats beside her, and scared Adam half to death, which should've been a strike unto itself) got to him, he knew he was going to be extremely late for work (five.) 

Also, as a little middle finger from the universe, the Pig's A/C was out, so he would arrive to work not only in an ill-fitting shirt, but also soaked through with sweat (six.)

Seven was finding Tad Ca-fucking-rruthers cozied up to the newest big name client, already worming his way into their good graces with his slick hair and smarmy smile and old money charm. 

Adam had simply gone to his desk, acquainting it with his forehead and wondering how his day could get _any_ worse.

"Good news, Parrish," comes Tad's voice long after Adam has righted himself and set to work on his daily tasks. "You're going to court."

Adam knows that in terms of things, he's having a pretty shit day. Which is why it's a miracle he doesn't lay hands on Tad when he reads over the case file that's been deposited in front of him.

Ah, number eight, so nice to meet you.

Adam was going to court all right, to get some man off the hook for more speeding tickets than Adam had fingers to count with.

"Have fun. And try to be civil, eh? His family's one of father's oldest and dearest friends, and I'd hate to see you fired over their brat." 

That should be nine, Adam thinks, but then again, the fact that Tad's father is one of the partners of the firm is a strike every other day, so maybe he should give it a day off.

Because of Tad's close connection, he practically assigns all of Adam's workload. It's usually petty stuff, nothing like the big cases that he awards Gansey, and even Blue who hates Tad more than Adam does, but this is just a disgrace to Adam's entire Ivy League education.

"I better get going then," Adam says through clenched teeth as he readjusts his tie, does his suit jacket's button back, and sweeps out of the small, glorified cubicle he's in.

\-----

"Hey, man!"

Adam looks up from his phone where a bill from the towing company arrived all too quickly. He finds his sight full of a glowing Henry Cheng.

"Gansey and Blue are at the office," Adam replies before he thinks better of it. It's snippy and uncalled for, but he can feel the ugliness rearing its head in his chest, and he's surprised he managed to keep it as calm as that.

Henry laughs, taking Adam's I.D. "I know. But last time I checked I'd managed to befriend you, too."

Adam sighs. "No, yeah, you're right. Sorry," he replies, taking his I.D. back and handing over his briefcase - a gift from Helen the day he'd graduated - for inspection.

"Shitty day?" Henry asked, clicking it open and rifling halfheartedly through the contents.

"The shittiest," Adam agreed. "And it's about to be worse if I don't get to my client on time. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

Henry nods, sliding the briefcase back to Adam. "Greenmantle's on for the small shit today. Give 'em hell."

Adam grins recklessly. "Will do."

\-----

"Give me one good reason so I don't hang up right now."

Pause.

"That's not fair-"

String of curses. Tie loosens.

"Jesus- Declan what's the point in doing this shit anymore-"

Face falls. Hand rubs at the expression. Tie loosens farther. Eyes catch on Adam.

"I have to go, the suit's here. Tell Matthew I said hey."

The phone practically clambers from the man's hand into his pocket. With one quick shift of his lips, he turns from a broken boy to a guarded man who certainly looks the part when equated with the tickets Adam is already mentally disputing.

His loose tie and rumpled jacket don't look out of place, and the softness of his face becomes sharp and threatening.

Adam's a little breathless.

"Ronan, then, I assume?" Adam says, extending his hand to the man. 

"Yeah. You're not Gansey."

Adam nods. "I'm not," he agrees.

"Carruthers usually sends Gansey."

"I hope I'll be a fine substitute," he says, shaking the sleeve of his suit jacket back to peer down at his watch.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Anyway, we head in-"

Adam holds up a finger from his free hand to keep Ronan quiet as he watches the second hand tick around the face of his clock.

"And fix your tie," Adam hisses at Ronan.

Ronan, plainly bewildered, quickly tightens up his tie and adjusts the rumpled jacket on his shoulders until it sat smoothly.

Adam, out of the corner of his eye, watches as the fabric pulls taught, but quickly shoves the thought of Ronan and the pronounced muscles of his shoulders from his mind in favor of business.

"All right, I checked on the way over and there's nothing else on the docket today until three. That means the quicker we get out of here, the longer of a lunchbreak Greenmantle can take, and he loves his lunchbreaks, so he'll be looking to settle. Keep your eyes up, your simpering to a minimum, and your mouth shut. If you can manage all that, I should be able to get most of these tickets done away with. All right?"

Ronan blinks once, twice, and a third for good measure before he nods. 

As Adam nods back and turns to head into the courtroom, he swears he hears Ronan murmur 'definitely not Gansey.'

The doors open easily against the good shove he gives them with his shoulder, and soon he and Ronan are stood in front of Greenmantle, who's chattering idly at his bailiff, a man Adam only knows to be nicknamed The Gray Man.

"Ah, Mr. Parrish," Greenmantle says. "What a surprise."

"Your Honor," Adam nods, unclipping his briefcase.

"Mr. Parrish, let me be frank with you when I say I'd like to be out of here in a timely manner," Greenmantle says.

Adam's smile is polite, but on the inside its that of a predator who has just locked on to prey. "Of course, Your Honor," Adam replies.

\-----

"I'd suggest taking care of that while you're here," Adam says to Ronan, who's looking at him dazedly.

"Hold on- wait. You just argued me out of ten of eleven tickets, and all you're gonna say is _that_?"

Adam blinks at him owlishly. "I don't want to have to come back to get you out of contempt charges, Lynch," he says, as if it's obvious.

Ronan looses a laugh, and it's startlingly, sharply, absolutely beautiful. His face shifts and changes and plays out a scene of absolute glee.

He claps his hand down on Adam's shoulder. "Fair enough," he finally says. 

"You can talk to any of the guys at the front desk, though personally I recommend Henry, and they'll get you to the right place."

Ronan nods, but Adam can tell he's not paying attention. Or he is, but it's not to what Adam's saying, but rather to the way Adam's lips move as they say them.

"When's your lunch break?" Ronan asks abruptly, after Adam has fallen silent and they're just standing in the middle of the courthouse.

"You just saw it," Adam says, a half grin to his mouth now. 

Ronan seems to fall a little at that, further pushed by Adam's watch beeping. 

"I have to get going," Adam says, licking his chapped lips quickly. "Or I'm gonna be late."

"Right," Ronan says. "Right, yeah. Uh, thanks."

Adam inclines his head to Ronan obligingly. His arms are buzzing oddly and his hearing ear rushes with blood - which he can feel bleeding toward the back of his neck and the tips of his ears.

"Right," Adam says, clenching his hand around his briefcase handle as hard as he can - until his dark knuckles are bloodless and he fears for the bones in his fingers.

He turns to head for the elevators and makes it a few feet before Ronan calls, "Parrish, right?" 

_Now or never, Parrish,_ Adam says to himself.

He turns, keeping a steady pace as he calls back, "Yeah. But I get off at eight and you can just call me Adam then."

Ronan grins. Full on, heated cheeks, dimpled chin, _grins._

"Maybe I will then, Parrish," he says.

\-----

Adam arrives back at the office with a minute to spare, and as he enters The Pit, as all the lower's cubicles are collectively referred to, he hears the unmistakable pitch of Gansey's voice.

"I told you to make sure all the Lynch cases went across my desk- you can't just send anyone to deal with Ronan- shit, Tad, you know that- I know you know that, asshole."

He runs his hand over his perfectly gelled hair, the other hand on his hip. Blue looks on amused, her no doubt Chesire Cat smile hidden behind her hand.

Adam blinks in suprise at Gansey's harsh words, dropping his briefcase on his desk. "I just got back from the Lynch case, Gans. I don't think it's something you should waste your yearly curse quota on."

Gansey rounds on Adam. " _You_ , Ronan, oh, for God's sake, Tad!"

Adam rolls his lips in to keep from laughing in Gansey's face.

Tad, completely unfazed, turns to Adam. "How _did_ that go for you, Parrish? What, eleven tickets and your skills, I'd guess you got him out of two?"

"Ten," Adam says calmly, dropping into his uncomfortable desk chair. 

"You only got him out of the one?" Tad has a good laugh at that thought.

"No," Adam states. "I got him out of ten."

Blue's eyes widen, and now Adam can see her biting the inside of her cheek trying to keep her laughter in. Given Tad's current state of looking like a sunburnt tomato, Adam feels close to the same predicament.

"Don't you think that'll be something great to bring up with your father next monthly meeting? I might make employee of the month- a stepping stone to partner by the end of the year, yeah?" he grins, making it as jovial as possible. One day, one day Tad will regret the way he acted toward Adam.

Tad clenches his jaw, his fists, and leaves.

"Did you really?" Blue demands, leaning over her desk to put her nose practically against Adam's.

"Yep," he says, smile still intact.

"I'm so proud of you," she laughs, scrubbing her hand across his hair grandly.

Adam scoffs good-naturedly as he smooths his hair back down.

"I think you might've made an impression," Gansey says, comically frowning down at his phone.

Blue launches at him. " _Let me see the text, Richard_ ," she hisses as Gansey slides away from her. He stands, arm stuck as far in the air as it'll go.

"That's just wrong," Blue grinds out, but practically tries to scale Gansey anyhow.

Adam doesn't bother to hide his laughter as Gansey finally relents, if only so Blue with detach herself from him, and lowers the phone.

"'im going to regret not going to maggot' - that's me - 'with this but what the hell. no questions dick, just give me parrish's number'," Blue reads, then adds, "Damn, Adam, what'd you do to him? He doesn't text for shit, let alone for personal reasons."

Adam shrugs. "Maybe it's my natural charm," he deadpans, which pulls a ridiculous snort and trail of laughter from Blue's throat.

"That's definitely it. Do you want me to give him your number?"

"Don't know how he's gonna meet up with me when I get out of here if you don't," he replies.

**Author's Note:**

> So the whole point of this little drabble is that I have a big pynch fic I really want to write, but I want to get it Right, and I don't think I could do that rn considering I barely have any experience writing these kids. So, I'm using songs (like in drabble one), or little prompts (aka this one), and writing short drabbles to try to get a feel for both Adam and Ronan's characters, but also their relationship, (and later on with other drabbles, the gangsey as a whole, which was only barely explored in this.)
> 
> If you have any song suggestions/prompts hmu on tumblr @luluthelich ! Also, since I'm actively trying to improve my writing of these characters, constructive feedback is,,, so incredibly welcome and encouraged.


End file.
